Knowing and Showing Your True

ColorsAbby DiPasquale, MPH, MCHES

Wellness Works1-800-852-8300

adipasquale@memun.org

Knowing True Colors

• Imagine the people you interact with daily.

• Do you always understand how and why they do what they do?

• We all have different ways of doing things, so how do we bring out the best in each other instead of driving each other crazy?

That is the power of knowing your True Colors!

The Steps

• Identify• Clarify• Modify• Apply• Verify

Identify

• Rank each group of words. 1= least like you and 4= most like you.

• For each question you must have a 1,2, 3, and 4.

• Focus on how you are when you are most “you”- not how you wish you were or how others say you are.

• Add up all numbers in the “a”, “b”, “c” and “d” and total at the bottom.

Clarify

• Circle 3-5 words from the quiz that you identify with the most.

• Turn to the first page of your Color and read the brief description written there…does this sound like you?

• Don’t read the whole book- not yet anyway!

Gold Be Prepared Be Prepared Be Prepared

Predictable

Follows RulesDuty and Responsibility

BlueOptimistic

PeacemakerCaretaker

Relationships

Driven by Emotions

Orange

Pushes Boundaries

Playful

Spontaneous

Variety

Green

Why?

InnovativeIntellectual

Strategic

Determined

“We don’t see things as they

are; we see them as we are.”

- Anaïs Nin

Modify

• We don’t want to change or hide our colors, we want to show them!

• But how do we meet them where they are and where we are?

• Take a moment to consider that their reality may be valid and you may benefit from understanding it!

Apply to Gold

The Gold Style:

• Purposeful, plans ahead

• Respectful, appropriate

• Supportive of policies and rules

• Detail oriented, chronological

• Loyal, devoted

What You Should Do:

• Be prepared, give details

• Stay on target, be consistent

• Show respect• Don’t interrupt• Recognize their

contributions

Apply to Blue

The Blue Style:

• Friendly, helpful, empathetic

• Optimistic• Expressive with

emotion• Fostering or

maintaining harmony

• May use metaphors to embellish points

What You Should Do:

• Acknowledge them• Show appreciation• Include them• Have patience• Don’t “bark” orders

Apply to Orange

The Orange Style:

• Casual, playful• Spontaneous, now

oriented• Fast-paced, changes

subjects quickly• Straightforward• Active, involved,

mobile

What You Should Do:

• Use “sound bites”• Move with them

while they multitask• Appreciate their

flair• Allow options for

flexibility• Lighten up

Apply to Green

The Green Style:

• Logical and objective

• Includes facts and information

• Big picture, conceptual

• Questioning, critiquing

• Wry sense of humor

What You Should Do:

• Allow them to ponder

• Skip the “small talk”

• Avoid redundancy• Give big picture or

point first, then fill in details if asked

• Don’t misinterpret their need for info as interrogation

Verify

• The more aware we are of our own personality and that of others, the better we are at adapting and modifying our interactions.

• Check with the other personalities to determine how they view a situation and identify solutions.

• Look at it from a new perspective and keep and open mind!

Continue to Explore and Learn About Your True

Colors!